Combining Traditional and Contemporary Texts: Moving My English Class to the Computer Lab
Tarasiuk used the computer lab to engage her students. This is one approach that strays away from just the paper and pencil worksheet idea. I would like to use this technique in my classroom. I remember in high school when I took Photoshop class and one of our assignments was to make a commercial advertising something. We decided to try and sell shoes- in particular my Converse "Chucks." I liked this activity because we had limitless resources and could be as creative as we wished. I believe this is why Tarasiuk's students preferred to completing Wikis. It gave them room for students to apply their knowledge instead of just filling out a worksheet and handing it in. I found a quote in this article that I believe to be very true. "As students are working in digital technologies, they are using reading strategies for authentic purposes" (551). Some parents may argue that an English class should be focused on elements of the text in a classroom. I believe that reading in a classroom is the ideal place for an English class, but applying the concepts in a computer lab may be the best place for results.
Hunger Games and The Dumbest Generation
When I started really this book my first impression was that it was going to be a great book. This is what everyone tells me. Then just reading the first page I am unaware of who the narrator is and what they are all about. I find Katniss to be a very brave girl. I'd like go into many questions and thoughts I have about the book, but I wish to save these for class. I think this book applies to the unit we are working on because it brings up the key idea of life without technology. Who will be the fittest? This may be why we are the considered on of the "dumbest generations." Does our use of technology really reflect on our abilities? I can argue that the human race is getting smarter each year with the new advances in technology and discovering, but I can also admit I do not pay much attention to current events, which makes me seem "stupid." Lee Drutman's The Dumbest Generation and Tracy Tarasiuk's Combining Traditional and Contemporary Texts: Moving My English Class to the Computer Lab articles are showing this argument. I also thought about Hunger Games as applied to our society. What if there was a rebellion? I began questioning if there could ever be a rebellion or revolution so great that could ultimately kill off many of our population. There already are countries that exist where people starve from hunger like Katniss and her family. How many wars and hungry countries do we need until we realize there is a problem? Are we being ignorant? These are questions that I think students should be aware of and I could agree Hunger Games would be a great book to include in the curriculum.
"I believe that reading in a classroom is the ideal place for an English class, but applying the concepts in a computer lab may be the best place for results."
ReplyDeleteInteresting distinction here!
I have not read The Hunger Games yet (rest assured that I am planning on it, though!) but I enjoyed your questionings at the end. I don't know what happens in the novel, but I did not expect it to be able to connect to today's culture and society. I suppose that is one thing I am becoming more aware of: how dystopian/futuristic novels are actually statements on life today.
ReplyDeleteI think your right that you can use the computer lab to get good results from students with certain concepts that are from a book in class. There are a lot of activities that we can do in the computer lab that go along with a book we are reading in class. I believe there needs to be a medium though because the book itself is really important and I would not want to encourage the students going to the computer for everything.
ReplyDeleteI read the The Hunger Games this past week too and I liked it a lot. I think that it would be a book that would be fun to teach in a class because the kids would probably read this book and I can do fun activities with it where all the students would partticipate. I think there is a lot of symbolism and I would love to incorporate it in class.
Heather, your questions the apply The Hunger Games to life really make me want to read it! The Maze Runner also could be considered against history and world events that possibly "could" happen. I think these are questions that could make an English class really come alive. I also think you points on Tarasiuk's article are good ones and would agree with you that the classroom is the ideal place to read, although I must admit that reading these dystopian novels caused me to go to my computer to find out more about them! (its probably the first time I ever did that). But, students to read students need a place of least distraction, and could share a computer to look up something they might have a question about. I think technology can be used best for a way for students to respond to a novel.
ReplyDeleteIt's crazy to think about how these dystopian novels relate to our society today. I guess that is the point, though. I just like the questions and reflections these books create. I can't wait to have classroom discussions on dystopian novels. Your questions at the end just really make you think about our lives today.
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